Search and rescue (SAR) is a vital line of defense against unnecessary loss of life. However,
in a potentially hazardous environment, it is important to balance the risks associated with SAR
action. Drones have the potential to help with the efficiency, success rate and safety of SAR operations
as they can cover large or hard to access areas quickly. The addition of thermal cameras to the drones
provides the potential for automated and reliable detection of people in need of rescue. We performed
a pilot study with a thermal-equipped drone for SAR applications in Morecambe Bay. In a variety
of realistic SAR scenarios, we found that we could detect humans who would be in need of rescue,
both by the naked eye and by a simple automated method. We explore the current advantages and
limitations of thermal drone systems, and outline the future path to a useful system for deployment
in real-life SAR.
Requirements and Limitations of Thermal Drones for Effective Search and Rescue in Marine and Coastal Areas
2019
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
Unknown
Metadata by DOAJ is licensed under CC BY-SA 1.0
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